Strand covering apparatus



Dec. 3, 1940. s R, WALSH 2,224,11U

STRAND COVERING APPARATUS- A TTORNEYS.

Dec. 3; 1940. s R WALSH 2,224,110

' STRAND COVERING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 1, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEYS.

' INVEN ma.- Jawwe/Huafifoa Ya/ Dec. 3., 1940.

5. R. WALSH STRAND COVERING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov 1, 1939 By ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 3, 1940. R WALSH 2,224,110

STRAND .COVERING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 1, 1959 s sheets- -sheet 4 A TTORNEYS.

s. R. WALSH STRAND COVERING APPARATUS Dec.' 3., 1940.

Filed Nov. 1, 1939 6 Shegts-Sheeti fill/II INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 3,

s. RQ'WALSH STRAND covname APPARATUS Filed Nov. 1,- 1959 s sheets-sheet e VII/11401121 I .m Q w ADM.

I NVENTUR. Samuel flash on W/Sa mm A TTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 3 1940 srnANn COVERING APPARATUS Samuel Rushton Walsh, Valley Falls, R. I., assignor 1:03 & B American Machine Company, a corporation of Maine Application November 1, 1939, Serial No. 302,391

Claims.

This invention relates to a strand covering apparatus and more particularly to .a machine for individually covering a plurality of elastic strands, under tension, with helically applied 5 wrappings of covering material one over the other; and has for one of its objects the controlling of the elongation of each of the elastic strands in order to maintain substantially uniform and constant pre-determined elongation of the stretched portion of the same during its advancing movement as the covering material is applied thereon.

Another object of the invention is the variable speed driving of the strand advancing means,

whereby a control of the. speed of advancing movement and elongation of the elastic strands to be covered through .the wrapping means will be obtained for maintaining a substantially constant pre-determined' elongation of the stretched portions of the elastic strands as the covering material is applied thereon.

Another object of the invention is the variable speed driving of one group of several sets of vertically aligned hollow covering devices,

whereby the finished covered elastic yarn or thread-will be produced with the wrapped coverings in a balanced condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide variable means for maintaining a substantially constant and uniform predetermined elongation oi the elastic strands at all times during appli cation of the covering material from the time the package 'of covering material is full until it is depleted.

With these and other ohms in view,- the invention consists of certain novel features of con-- struction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

7 Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front' elevational view of a portion of a strand covering machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2. is a vertical sectional view taken substantiallyon the line 2-! of Fig. 1;

" 5 Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine shown in 1 taken substantially on the line 3--3,'

and showing the variable elongation control mechanism in operating position; v, Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed'view of the .variable elongation control mechanism shown in Fig.

- control of the feeding and elongationof the elas Fig. 6 is a front view of the manual control for adjusting the variable elongation control mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5, but with 5 the adjustable sheave pulley being shown in a different position;

Fig. 8 is an end view of the foot end of the stran'dcovering machine showing the variable speed transmission mechanism for driving and 10 controlling the speed or one set of spindles;

Fig.9 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8; and y Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of the driv arrangement of the machine and illustrating the 15 cooperating relationship between the variable means for driving the upper group of spindles of the machine and the variable means for driving the strand advancing wheels for effecting tie core strand. I I

Elastic yarns or thread, such as are used in the manufacture of woven or knitted elastic'tabrice for either the warp or the filling threads,

or both, to provide the elasticity desired in the finished article, have usually consisted of a core 01 rubber having two superimposed layers or wrappings 01- the coveringmaterial, such as a textile substance, which is wrapped hellcally on the core. In the manufacture of such covered 30 yarns or threads, the outer wrapping of the cov- V ering material is applied to the core in the opposite direction to that of the inner covering layer in order to balance the twist of the inner wrappings so that there is neither a rightehand 5 nor a left-hand twist in the final product. Hence, the finished covered product will be in equilibrium when retracted and at rest after removal from the covering machine, and it will-remain straightwithoutkinking, whereby any twisting 40 tendency of the outer layer of covering material eye which is set ,to a predetermined elongation of covered elastic yarn. Itds found that if use of elastic yarns of a variable elongation is attempted with such shuttles, the result is the formation of blisters and imperfections in the lower sets of rotatable wrapping devices having rial wrapped in bunches.

vertically aligned hollow spindles through which the portions of the rubber core strands to be covered are advanced'vertically during the covering-operation while being maintained. in a stretched condition by the tensioning members. Insuch prior machines, thereis maintained a constant speed ratio between the relative speeds of rotation of the spindles of the upper and lower decks in order to produce a finished covered, balanced, elastic yarn. However, if the yarn balance changes during the covering operation, or different weights of covering material are employed-for the outer wrapping than are used for the inner wrapping, it is necessary to change the relative speeds of the spindles of one of. the decks in which instance such a change has required the changing of the drive pulleys of the machine, thus necessitating shutting down. the machine each time that such an adjustment is made, with the consequent loss in production, especially where there are a considerable num ber of machine involved. Also, a large number of pulleys ofdifferent sizes were required for *each machine to provide the small adjustments required; 3 7 It is found, however, in the operation of the prior constructions of covering machines, that wardly advancing elastic core strand to impart.

additional stretch thereto, whereby the finishing covered elastic yarn, when tension is relieved, will have its outer wrapping of covering mate- It has been found that this objectionable condition is due to the length of covering material being wrapped not being of a constant length, since the package of the covering material .decreases in diameter during the covering operation, so that there is less material.

removed from the outer convolutions of the package when it is half empty than therewas at the start when the package was full, as the package revolves at constant speed. Consequently, at the beginning of the covering operation when a full package of covering material carried by the wrapping device there is normally a ballooning tendency of the yarn or strand of covering material being delivered from the supply package which action enables the covering material to be freely wound about the moving elastic core strand without appreciably affecting its upward movement. As the covering operation progresses, the

diameter of the package of covering material accordingly decreases as the yarn is withdrawn so that the successive lengths of the covering material being delivered therefrom become shorter and are tensioned by the action of the rotary flyer to exert a pull upon the core as it is being means for overcoming the aforementioned dis- As above stated, in the operation of such rubber coveringmachines, it is desirable that a minimum variation of elongation of the rubber core strand or thread be maintained and that such elongation be held substantially constant and 5 within certain predetermined limits. The prior practice employed inthe use of the previous constructions of rubber covering machines has been toemploy separate change gears at the head end of the machine which are changed by the operator at periodic intervals during the covering operation after the package of covering material has reached a certain size, usually every two hours, from the time the package has decreased to a certain'diameter until it has been emptied. 15

- This method of elongation control is objection- Thepresent invention is therefore directed to 3 0 advantages of these previous strand-covering machines and comprises variable means for driv ing one group of covering spindles while the speed of rotation of the other group of covering spindles is maintained constant, whereby control of the yarn balance is obtained, and also the use of variable means for stretching and advancing. the elastic core strand during the covering operation, whereby its elongation is maintained substantially constant and uniform; and in the em- 40 bodiments shown in the accompanying drawings the adjustmet of each of these variable 'transmis-- sions is effected manually for obtaining the desired driving speeds. of one set of covering spindles and the elongation of the core strand being covered; and the following is a more detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention, illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished:

with reference to the drawings, one embodiment of the invention is shown and comprises a covering machine for applying covering material helically in oppositely wrapped layers to elastic core-strands or threads at for incorporation into elastic fabric, the elastic strands id being of rubber and drawn fromsuitable supply sources (not shown) through guide eyes II by the feed wheels l2, and then pulled in a stretched condition vertically upwardly through the bores of 0 lower and upper decks of vertically aligned hollow spindles generally designated l4 and M by the draw-oil! wheels I5 and i6 as the covering material in strand form on the packages I? and H is withdrawn therefrom by the rotary flyers I8 and I8 and wound thereby in successively applied helical layers on the elasticrubber corestrands or threads l0. On this machine, the lower deck of winding spindles I4 normally run at a faster speed and in the opposite direction to thr otation of the upper deck of covering spindles Id. 'The draw-ofl wheels l5 andlfl'rotate at a faster speed than the feed wheels l2-so that the portion of the rubber core-strand or thread I0 extending between these wheels is stretched 75 'of the covering material are applied thereto.

The finished covered elastic strand designated IS, with its inner and outer spiral wrappings of the covering material, is delivered from the drawoif wheels l5 and It to a take-up reel or other means which in the course of its reeling operation pullsthe covered core 19 through the usual guide eyes- 2| mounted upon a horizontally reciprocatable bar 22 that is traversed by the coreadvancing mechanism hereinafter to be described, for distributing the covered core l9 uniformly along the take-up reel 20. r

.If desired, the weighted presser roller and grooved wheel members of the Feeding and tensioning mechanism for strand wrapping machines, described and claimed in the copending application'of John Perry, Serial No. 276,782,

filed June 1, 1939,- now Patent No. 2,211,434,

granted Aug. 13, 1940, may be substituted for either the draw-oil? wheels l5 and IE, or the feed wheel II, or both.

The upper and lower decks of covering spindles l4 and M respectively each consist oftwo longitudinal rows of spindles, the bores of the front and rear rows of spindles on the lower deck being vertically aligned with respect to the bores of the corresponding rows of spindles on the upper deck. 'Iilhe covering spindles M and M are of similar construction, and each is mounted in .a resilient manner upon the rails 25 and 26 respectively, extending longitudinally of the machine. The lower spind'les are driven by meansof whorls 21 which arefixed on the spindles and driven by belts 28 rotated by the driving pulleys 29 secured to the longitudinally extending driving shaft 30. To drive the upper sets ofwinding spindles M, the whorls 32 are provided fast on-the spindle and driven by belts 33 which are rotated by the drlvingpulleys 361 secured to the longitudinally disposed upper drive-- shaft 35, the upper covering spindles N being rotated in a direction opposite to and at a slower speed than that of the lower spindles M. Oon-' sequently, the spindles of one deck wrap one layer of covering material with a right-hand twist about the elastic core strand, and the spindles of the other deck apply the second layer of the covering material with a left-hand twist, and vice versa, the twists of the two superimposed windings neutralizing each other to prevent the curling effect and balance one another. v

Means are provided for driving the covering spindles on one deck at a constant speed, and

variable means are provided for driving the spindles of the other deck. at variable speeds. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the constant speed driving means comprises an electric motor 40 having a driving pulley II which transmits power by means of a plurality of V- belts 42 to the driven pulley l3 which is fix- -edlysecured to an extended end portion of the longitudinal shaft 30 for driving the same to rotate the driving pulleys 20 and in turn, the lower covering spindles M driven therefrom.

The variable means for driving the spindles M -of the upper deck at diife'rent selected speeds as requiredduring the covering operation may consist of one or more V-belts 45 extending :between the V-grooved pulleys 45 fixed onthe outer end portion of the upper longitudinal drive shaft 30 adjacent thep'ulley 43, and the adjustment sheaves 41 and 41' of a variable speed transmission for transmitting power from the V-pulleys to the adjustable sheaves 41 for driving the shaft 35 and the drive pulleys 34 to rotating the covering spindles forms no part of the.

claimed subject matter of the present invention. One suitable mechanism which may be employed isthat disclosed in Patent No. 1,662,- 511 of March 3, 1928, and only sufiicient description is given herein of its structure as will be necessary to a full understanding of the novel patentable subject matter of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 9, the variable speed transmission comprises a pair of shiftable halves and 55 of the sheave 41, and 41, each of" which shifta'ble members being carried by an adjustable sleeve 51 suitably mounted for movement toward and from the fixed halves 5B and v 59 oi the sheaves 41 and 41', respectively, upon rotation of a rotatable nut 60 internally threaded to provide screwthreaded connection with an exteriorly screw-threaded part of the sleeve 51 and rotated thereon by means of a sprocket chain '6! in a desired direction by means of sprocket teeth 52 projecting from the exterior of the nut. The sprocket chain Bl extends between the sprocket teeth 62 on the nut and a sprocket wheel 63 fast on one end of a stub shaft 64 journ-aled in the frame of the machine and carrying a hand wheel 55 at the other end of the shaft 64, whereby rotation of the hand wheel 65 will serve to axially move the shiftable halves 55 and 56 of the sheaves t1 and 41' toward or away from the fixed halves 58 and 59 of the sheaves 41 and 41' to vary the effective diameter of the same into different selected positions for changing the speed of the upper drive shaft 35.

Variable meansare also provided for controlling the elongation or stretch of the elastic rubber core strand whereby it can be varied and adjusted to a predetermined extent as it is pulled through the covering spindles M and i4 during the covering operation. This variable con trol of the elongation consists of a variable speed drive which is positively driven from one of the longitudinal drive shafts that drives a set of covering spindles I 4 and M respectively, and there is provided suitable gearing for connecting this variable speed drive to the feed wheels l2 and to the draw-off wheels I5 and, It for driving these wheels at variable speeds of rotation, the arrangement being such that any adthe sheave It and the pulley 12 to be driven fixed to a stud shaft l3 suitably journaied in' the frame of the machine where rotation of the driving pulley 'lllwill transmit power through the what H and pulley V2 to rotate the pinion gear '15 carried by the outwardly extending end portion of the stub shaft l3 meshing with gear 76 which through the gear train consisting of gears 85, 8t, 8?, 88, 89, 99, ill, 92, 93, 9t, 95 and 9G rotate the upper draw-off wheels i5 and it in unison.- The lower feed wheels l2 are ro tated in unison with andat a slower speed of rotation than the'speed of the upper draw-off wheels l5 and i6, and the driving arrangement consists of a lower gear train made up of gears ll, l8, it, til, 8i and 82 to which powerwis transmitted from the upper gear train by means of a chain 9i extendingbetween and connecting the gears 98 and 99, the geai'-98. being fixed to the same shaft as the gear 9% and rotated therewith, and the gear 99 being operatively connected to the gear ll for driving thesame and the lower gear train.

The adjustable sheave ID of the variable speed drive mechanism is made in two parts, one-of which is movable axially relative toward and from the other, and is shown in Figs. 5 and 7 as consisting of a flange MD of frusto-conical for-- mation forming one wall of the sheave and fixed to the end of the drive shaft in any suitable manner, such as by means of set screws lfll threadingly carried by the hub N2 of the flange. A sleeve ms slidably mounted for axial movement along the shaft 35 carries a frusto-conical flange i115 forming the movable side wall of the V-grooved adjustable sheave pulley iii. A series of circular flanges it! projecting radially outwardly from the exterior cylindrical surface of the sleeve E03 have interfitting engagement within correspond' ingly shaped recesses formed internally of the bore of the end wall N8 of a sleeve-like nut H19 whereby axial adjustment of the same will be effected by means of external screw threads H0 carried thereby and having threading engagement within correspondingly shaped screw threads formed internally of a rotatable gearlike nut 5 i2 upon rotation of the nut by the pinion gear H3 fixed to a shaft H4 when the same is actuated by the hand wheel H5. Hence, the manua1 turning of the hand wheel M5 by the operator will either advance or withdraw the movable side wall E05 of the driving pulley it so as to vary the efiective diameter of the same and thereby simultaneously cha' ge the speeds of rotation of the feed wheels I and the draw-01f wheels 15 and I6 respectively, in the same ratio whereby a control of the rate of feeding and the elongation of the elastic rubber core strand or thread during the covering operation may be.

obtained within pro-determined desired limits.

, A dial' H8 and a pointer H9 mounted on a shaft I20 and connected to the. pinion H3 by means of a suitable train of gears l2l, E22 and 123 serve to indicate on an arbitrary scale on the dial I i8'the elongation or the extent of each increment of change of adjustment of the driving pulley 10. 'This adjustment of elongation is made manually by the operator periodically during the covering operation without stopping the machine and as the package of covering material reaches a certain size during withdrawal of the covering material.

. From the foregoing description of the invention, it will be observed that a novel form-of apparatus for covering elastic strand material'has been provided including variable means for maintaining uniform balance of the covering material as it is applied to the elastic core strands, and also separate variable means for controlling the rate of feeding and the elongation of the elastic core strand whenever necessary due to the typeof yarn used for the covering materials and the number of ends of the same employed for maintaining the elongation substantially constant and within a minimum pro-determined value. It will also be observed that the present invention provides for the manual adjustment of each of these variable transmissions whereby the control may be performed by the operator of the machine, whenever desired, and with considerable accuracy by reason of the micrometer gear ratio of. the parts of these mechanisms.

While the foregoing description relates to the illustrated embodiment of the invention in which variable means are employed for thedriving of the covering spindles of the upper deck at variable speeds for control of the balance of the applied layers of covering material on the elastic core strands, it will be apparent that obvious modifications may be made of my invention in a formdifferent from that which I have employed and illustrated without departing from thejspirit and scope of the invention, such as the use of variable means for driving the covering spindles of the lower deck at variable speeds, and

it is to be understood that such applications of the inventionare to be considered as included by the above specification and in the following claimsappended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a strand wrapping machine, upper and lower hollow rotatable covering devices in substantially verticalalignmerit, upper and lower rotatable members for stretching portions of an elastic core strand to a pre-determined extent and progressively advancing the stretched portions thereof upwardly through a pair of upper and lower hollow covering devices as the helical Wrappings of the covering material is applied successively on the elastic core strand, and a variable power transmission for rotating the upper and lower strand stretching and advancing members, and adjustable manually to various selected positions to vary the relative speeds V of these members simultaneously with no alteration of their differential speed ratio which is maintained at a' constant value, whereby a uniform predetermined elongation of the elastic core strand is obtained.

2. The combination with a strand covering apparatus wherein a core strand to be covered with one or more successively applied helical wrappings of textile material is fed and stretched by upper and lower spaced rotary feeding members rotated at the same speed to maintain constant elongation of the core strand, of a variable speeddrive for driving said feeding and stretche ing members comprising a shaft, a sheave flange fixedly secured on said shaft,a sheave flange carrled by said shaft and slidable thereon in a direction toward and from said-fixed sheave flange, said flanges being of generally frusto-conical formation having mutually facing conical surfaces deflning an annular groove with outwardly diverging side walls for the reception of a V-bel-t, and means for moving said slidable sheave flange longitudinally of the shaft toward the fixed sheave flange into different axially adjusted positions to provide variable efiective sheave diameters for engaging said V-belt, said means com- V rotatable with respect thereto,

, adjustment of said slidable sheave flange when plugs of textile material upper and lower spaced the outer annular member is rotated.

' 3. The combination with a strand covering apparatus wherein a core strand to be covered with one or more successively applied helical wrappings of textile material is fed and stretched by upper and lower spaced rotary feeding members rotated at the same speed to maintain constant elongation of the core strand, of a variable speed drive for driving said feeding and stretching members comprising a shaft, a sheave flange fixedly secured on said shaft, a sheave flange carried by said shaft and slidable thereon in a direction toward and from said fixed sheave flange, said flanges being of generally frustoconical formation having mutually facing conical surfaces defining an annular groove with outwardly diverging side walls for the reception of a V-belt, and means for moving said slidable sheave flange longitudinally of the shaft toward the fixed sheave flange into different axially adjusted positions to provide variable effective sheave diameters for engaging said V-belt, said means comprising a sleeve member and a ring gear concentric with each other and co-axial with said shaft, said sleeve being carried by said slidable sheave flange with one end in engagement therewith andmovable bodily with such flange in all its adjusted positions, and also being independently rotatable of said slidable sheave flange, said ring gear being rotatably mounted on said. sleeve member andhaving internal screw threads cooperating with external screw threads on the periphery of said sleeve to produce speedvarylng adjustment of said slidable sheave flange when the ring gear is rotated.

4. The combination with a strand covering apparatus wherein a core strand to be covered with one or more successively applied helical wrapis fed and stretched by rotary feeding members rotated at the same speed to maintain constant elongation of the core strand, of a variable speed drive for driving said feeding and stretching members comprising a fixedly secured on said shaft, 9. sheave flange carried by said shaft and slidable thereon in a direction toward and from said fixed sheave flange, said flanges being of generally frustoconical formation having mutually facing conical surfaces defining an annular groove with outwardly diverging side walls for the reception of a v-belt, and means for moving said slidable sheave shaft, a. sheave flange flange longitudinally of the shaft toward the fixed sheave flange into different axially adjusted positions to provide variable effective sheave diameters for engagingsaid V-belt, said means comprising a sleeve member and a ring gear conmember and having internal screw threads cooperating with external screw threads on the periphery of said sleeve, and a manually operable gear inmeshing engagement with said ring gear for rotating the same to produce speed-varying adjustment of said slidable sheave flange when the ring gear is rotated.

5. The combination with a strand covering apparatus wherein a core strand to be covered with one or more successively applied helical wrappings of textile material is fed and stretched by upper and lower spaced rotary feeding members rotated at the same speed to, maintain constant elongation of the core strand, of a variable speed drive for driving said feeding strand, of a variable speed drivefor driving said feeding and stretching members comprising a shaft, a sheave flange fixedly secured on said shaft, a sheave flange carried by said shaft and slidable thereon in a direction toward and from said fixed sheave flange, said flanges being of generally frusto conical formation having mutually facing conical surfaces deflning an annular groove with outment therewith and movable bodily with such flange in all its adjusted positions, and also being independently rotatable of said slidable sheave flange, said ring gear being rotatably mounted on said sleeve member and having internal screw threads cooperating with external screw threads on the periphery of said sleeve, and a manually operable gear in meshing engagement with said ring gear for rotating the same to produce speed-varying adjustment of said slidable sheave flange when the ring gear is 1'0- tated, and means including a. movable pointer and a gear train operatively connected to the pointer and to said manually operable gear and actuated by rotation of the latter for indicating by said pointer on a scale the extent of speedvarying adjustment of said slidable sheave flange.

SAMUEL RUSHTON WALSH. 

